Santa Monica Mayor & Coastal Commissioner Richard Bloom shows off his new Ecoplate during The California Coastal Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles’  press conference  debuting the new Whale Tail® specialty license plate at the Santa Monica Pier on Tuesday, Aug 2, 2011.

 

At Santa Monica’s press conference Bloom introduced a “Whale of a Deal” for the public, the first 1,000 people to order on http://www.ecoplates.com will score a standard Whale Tail® Ecoplate for 50 percent off ($25 instead of $50) or $25 off a personalized plate ($73 instead of $98) plus two tickets to a California aquarium. He also announced the names of the design contest winners who are Painter Elizabeth Robinette Tyndall of Bethel Island in Contra Costa County, and Graphic Designer Bill Atkins of Laguna Beach in Orange County. Actress and supporter of Heal The Bay, Amy Smart also spoke on behalf of Heal The Bay as one of California Coastal Commission’s grant recipients. Also in attendance were travel industry partners, local dignitaries and non-profit organizations.

As one of the largest California Coastal Commission grant recipients, Heal the Bay uses the funds to manage and coordinate more than 600 cleanups annually along the Los Angeles County Coastline, from Malibu to San Pedro. At the cleanups, Heal the Bay staff collect 9,000 data cards annually, documenting the types of debris collected to demonstrate how much trash is found on each beach.

Named “Top Ten Beach Cities in the World” by National Geographic, Santa Monica also celebrated its “A” ocean water rating for all Santa Monica beaches. The improvement in water quality is a big score for Santa Monica, a progressive and proactive beach community. Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau facilitates an annual Beach Summit which has been the catalyst for a number of beach improvements in Santa Monica including trash valet service on the beach during summer; adding service enhancements to Perry’s Beach Cafes; the passing of Measure V by residents and voters in 2006 to raise revenue for urban runoff management; replacing beach restrooms with a focus on added amenities, safety, cleanliness and sustainability; and establishing a police and neighborhood “beach beat” with additional security cameras and lighting at the beach for safety.

“We were delighted to participate the Whale Tail program that helps generate funds for groups dedicated to coastal restoration projects, beach cleanups and marine education programs,” said Misti Kerns, president and CEO of Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our beaches and the experience they offer are among our most important assets in Santa Monica. These projects help provide residents and visitors with enhanced amenities and services to provide them a cleaner and safer beach.”

Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau and supporting partners; Pier Restoration Corporation, Pacific Park and City of Santa Monica office of Sustainability and Environment are part of the Stewards of the Coast sponsor team. As part of the rollout, the California Coastal Commission will kick off Stewards of the Coast, a summer campaign culminating in the 27th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 17th. Convention and Visitor Bureaus from across the state stepped up to support this campaign to promote their destinations and the importance of tourism to California and to unite promoting sales of the Whale Tail® License Plate for a good cause.

“As the major tenant on the Santa Monica Pier, the two-acre amusement park’s participation in the California Coastal Commission’s Whale Tail campaign fits right in with our commitment to being a leader in our community and industry for green initiatives,” said Jeff Klocke, director of marketing and sales at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.

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